Bangladesh finished the opening day of the first Test against South Africa on 327/6 at the Wanderers after Towhid Hridoy produced a marathon century to turn a collapse into a position of strength. The tourists were in serious trouble early in the innings, but Hridoy’s 137 from 227 deliveries, supported by Litton Das, gave Bangladesh the upper hand at stumps on Sunday.
The day began with South Africa appearing to have seized control almost immediately. Bangladesh chose to bat after winning the toss, yet their first innings could hardly have opened more harshly. Mahfijul Islam, making his Test debut, edged Kagiso Rabada’s opening delivery and was caught by Marco Jansen at gully.
Rabada strikes, Bangladesh wobble
That dismissal set the tone for a testing first passage of play. Bangladesh’s top order struggled to settle against the South African attack and the visitors slipped to 22/3. From the hosts’ perspective, it was the kind of start that suggested the innings might be over before it had properly begun.
Rabada was at the centre of the assault. The fast bowler kept pressing through the early exchanges and ended the day with 5/51, claiming his 18th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. It was a significant contribution from a bowler who had helped expose Bangladesh’s top-order weakness, even though the eventual state of the innings left South Africa with plenty of work still to do.
Hridoy changes the shape of the innings
Hridoy’s response was built on patience as much as strokeplay. He spent almost six hours at the crease, absorbing the pressure and ensuring that Bangladesh did not surrender the advantage created by their decision to bat first. His hundred was also another substantial contribution after he had struck an unbeaten 242 against the West Indies earlier this month.
The decisive stand came with Litton Das. The pair added 206 runs for the sixth wicket, a partnership that carried Bangladesh from a precarious position into one from which they could dictate the close of play. Das made 92 from 138 balls, providing the support Hridoy needed while the sixth-wicket alliance steadily changed the contest’s direction.
| Key score | Figures |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh at stumps | 327/6 |
| Towhid Hridoy | 137 off 227 |
| Litton Das | 92 off 138 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 5/51 |
| Sixth-wicket stand | 206 runs |
A day of two very different halves
For South Africa, the scoreboard tells a story of an opportunity partly taken and partly missed. The Proteas had Bangladesh under immediate pressure and Rabada delivered the sort of spell that can define a Test morning. Yet the visitors’ recovery means that early breakthroughs did not translate into an innings-ending advantage.
Hridoy’s dismissal finally arrived with the last ball of the day, when Jansen claimed the wicket. By then, however, Bangladesh had already moved beyond the danger zone and into a position that puts responsibility back on the South African bowlers for the second day.
- South Africa’s reward: Rabada’s five-wicket performance and three early Bangladesh wickets.
- Bangladesh’s response: a 206-run sixth-wicket partnership after falling to 22/3.
- At stumps: the visitors had reached 327/6, with the opening day leaning in their favour.
The first day therefore belonged to both the brilliance of Rabada and the resolve of Hridoy, but the final word went to Bangladesh. South Africa’s fast bowler had done almost everything asked of him, while Hridoy’s long stay ensured that the tourists walked off with the momentum. The Proteas will now have to find a way to finish the innings strongly after Bangladesh transformed an alarming start into a commanding platform.
